eBook: Cancer and EpigeneticsMay 15, 2019Changes in epigenetic regulation are hallmarks of the transition from normal to cancerous cells. Exploration of the role of epigenetics in cancer has proven to be informative for better understanding both cancer and epigenetic mechanisms. In this EpiGenie ebook, we present summaries of several studies on exploring the role of specific epigenetic processes in cancer. […]
The Emergence of m7G onto the Mammalian Epitranscriptome SceneMay 9, 2019From Greta Thunberg leading global climate protests to Katie Bouman capturing the first picture of a black hole; sometimes an emerging star can create enormous waves on the world scene. In the realm of epigenetics, the “humble” N 7-methylguanosine (m7G) modification forms the eukaryotic mRNA cap, a structure that regulates mRNA export, translation, and splicing, […]
If You Like Piña Coladas, and tRNAs: Unique Relationships Between tRFs and mRNAsMay 6, 2019It can be tough to find a significant other that checks all the boxes: smart, funny, and into epigenetics. But if you think your relationship is tough to figure out, just wait until you see the relationship between tRNA derived fragments and mRNAs. New research from the lab of Isidore Rigoutsos (Thomas Jefferson University, USA) […]
Astronomical Findings from the NASA Twin Study on the Effects of Space FlightMay 6, 2019Identical twins are known for having some pretty out of this world similarities. Picking the same clothes, feeling the other’s pain, and often going into the same careers. The latter is true for Mark and Scott Kelly, monozygotic twins who also both happen to have been trained as astronauts. Twins are a favorite model system […]
Members of the PIWI League Play Important Positions in the BrainMay 3, 2019It takes a special kind of small RNA to try out for the PIWI team. PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNA) are small, have and adenine at their 10th position, an uracil at their 5’ end, and 2’-O-methylation at their 3’ end. This unique physique helps piRNA work with PIWI proteins to defend the germline against an aggressive transposon offense, but […]
